Connecticut western news., 1887-07-13
"RUNNlNG AMUCK."
A Sanguinary Custom Pecul-
 far to Oriental Chimes.
Opium -Crazed Men Seized With Sudden
 Desire to Kill.

Desire to Kill.
 Two instances have recently appeared in our columns of that strange and san- guinary custom of the East called ''ruu- ming amuck." Running amuck" is phrase derived from the Malay word 'tamok" C'killing') and constitutes we'll marked hystcrical affection of cer- tain races inhaoiting Oriental countries. It is raacIYifs ever, manifested among the Indian Mnssulmans, while, whenever itdoes occur in Hindoostan, the malady may generally be traced to the abuse of opium or the extract of hemp called bhang, ganj,, or charras. The Hindoo tobacconist sells special confection made up of bhang, opium, datura, cloves, mastic, cinnamon, and carda- nuns, wh cl is mixcl with milk and sugar and eaten as a swcetmcat. This diabolical cake known as majum-will drive a man mad about as soon as any thing. With the Malays, however, who have given a name to the terrible mental alteration of which we speak, and who are by far the most addicted to it of all Eastern people, there is seldom any such explanation of the outbreak. Sud- denly, without rhyme or reason, a man will spring up from his shop board or couch, draw his kris-the wave bladed dagger which they all carry-and, with scream of 'Amok! Amokl" strike its point into the heart of the nearest way farer and dart down the crowded bazaar like the lunatic which he is, stabbing and cutting on all sides. 'Amok {! Amok!' echoes from hundred mouths, and everybody hurr;es for place of refuge, fleeing in all directions, except those bo.der spirits who snatch up weapons of defense and join the armed throng which pursues the desperate. The path of the chase is soon strewu with bodies of men, women and chil- dren, dead or bleeding to death, until some lucky shot or daring thrust disables the murderer, who is pierced with a dozen blades as soon as he falls to the ground. Occasionally it turns out that the "amoker'' has received some per- sonal affront or injury or was hopelessly in debt or disappointed in love; but more commsafy there is nothing what ever to account for the wild fury of his proceedings, and the street sweepers drag his carcass away as carelessly as ii a leopard had been slain in the public streets. So ordinary, indeed, is the oc- currence that in many towns and cities where there lives a large Malay popula- tion an instrument is kept in readiness at every police station called the 'amoke1 catcher.": It is something like an eel spear with very long handle, and SC contrived that two elastic-pointcd spikes close round the madman's neck and se- cure him helplessly when the iron prongs are pushed against his nape | from behind.
 | Neither rank nor wealth keeps { Malay from this sudden access of homi- cidal mania if he has tho predispositior or has been greatly excited. There wal an instance at Salatiga, in the island o Java, where the Regent was celebrating the marriage of two of his daughters and everybody was in Q festive and joy ous mood. Just, however, at the gaycs moment of the ceremonies the Regcnt' brother-in-law, high official, cam, rushing through the procession, stab ping everybody he could get at witt his jeweled kris. The Regent himself coming up to inquire into the uproar was killed by a single thrust, and i was the brother of the Prince who ral the "amokcr' through the back with spear and brought him down, yet no before he had slaughtered nine of tn palace people and wounded six other more or less severely. It might be supposed that arace subject to such ferocious fit would be naturally excitab!e ane nervous in manner; but the contrary the case. The Malay is of all men tn most quiet, dignifed, and slow ofspeec! and action in his ordinary life. He scl dom speaks loudly or quickly, has tn most courteous and even gentle de mcanor, and quarres very rarely witt his fellows. Yet he is coldly an' silently cruel; has no regard for human life, and derives from the Mohammeda1 faith wtf feh he professes it's bitterest ant most reldhtless dogmas. Once started or the "death run" by insult, despair, o some brain trouble, his only thought i to ''kill, anl kill, and kill," and in tn fierce exultation of his insanity he doe not feel the blow which lets out hi burning blood and puts stop to hi dreadful eer.-[London Telegraph.